Carpet sweeper

ABSTRACT

The subject invention relates to a carpet sweeper having a minimum of parts, most of which are molded completely of plastic. The sweeper is provided with a dust collecting bin having a lid which provides easy access from the upper portion of the sweeper. A simple gear system transmits rotating motion directly from the wheels to the rotating brush. The housing consists of an upper and lower portion which are both constructed of a molded plastic material. The upper portion has provision to accomodate the dust bin lid and the lower portion has integrally molded means to mount the brush and brush drive system.

United States Patent [1 1 Drappeu et al.

Feb. 5, 1974 CARPET SWEEPER [75] Inventors: Robert E. Drappeu; HughjeanBurton Gould, both of Berwyn; Daniel A. Maust, Winfield, all of Ill.

[73] Assignee: The Drackett Company, Cincinnati,

Ohio

[22] Filed: July 7, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 269,632

[52] U.S. Cl lS/4l R [51] Int. Cl A471 11/00 [58] Field of Search15/41-48 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,962,740 12/1960Plantholt 15/41 R 3,003,170 10/1961 Lathrop 3,618,153 11/1971 Coult15/42 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,013,085 12/1965 Great Britain15/41 R Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts Attorney, Agent, or Firm-George A. Mentis; David J. Mugford; Irving Holtzman [57] ABSTRACTThe subject invention relates to a carpet sweeper having a minimum ofparts, most of which are molded completely of plastic. The sweeper isprovided with a dust collecting bin having a lid which provides easyaccess from the upper portion of the sweeper. A simple gear systemtransmits rotating motion directly from the wheels to the rotatingbrush. The housing consists of an upper and lower portion which are bothconstructed of a molded plastic material. The upper portion hasprovision to accomodate the dust bin lid and the lower portion hasintegrally molded means to mount the brush and brush drive system.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented Feb. 5, 1974 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Ptented Feb. 5, 1974 3,789,454

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 THIFI Patented Feb. 5, 1974 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 CARPETSWEEPER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Carpet sweepers presently being usedare found to be quite complicated being made of many individual parts,most of which are constructed of metal rendering the units heavy andbulky to use. In addition, the extensive number of parts and thematerials used create a high cost of manufacture. It is therefore theobject of the invention to provide an inexpensive and easy to use carpetsweeper which is constructed'almost completely of plastic utilizing asmall number of integrally molded parts. Further advantages ofthis'unique construction will become apparent from the more detaileddescription which follows. The accompanying drawings include:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the carpet sweeper.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the carpet sweeper.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the carpet sweeper showing the inside ofthe upper and lower housing portions, the brush drive system and theupper baffles.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view along the section lines 4 4 shown inFIG. 6.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view through the section lines 5 5 shown inFIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a segmented rear sectional view along the section lines 6 6shown in FIG. 5. V

The carpet sweeper of the subject invention is constructed of threebasic elements: an integrally molded upper housing portion 1, anintegrally molded lower housing portion 2, and a brush drive system 3.The upper housing 1 is integrally molded in a light weight plastic, andit is provided with a pivotally mounted handle socket 4 on its uppersurface. The handle socket may also be of molded plastic and is attachedto the upper housing 1 by virtue of pivot pin 5.

The upper housing 1 is constructed having front wall 6, side walls 7 and8 and rear wall 9 which from a compartment for enclosing the brush drivesystem 3. Integrally molded in the vicinity of the front wall 6 areconnecting pins 10, 11 and 12 which interlock with mating sockets 13, 14and 15 located on the front wall of the lower housing 2. Additionallocking pins 16 and 17 are molded towards the rear of the side walls 7and 8 of the upper housing 1 for interlocking with mating sockets 18 and19 on the lower housing 2. Support ribs 20 may be molded in the interiorof the upper housing 1 for registration with molded support ribs 21located on the lower housing 2. In order to mount wheels 23 and 24,semi-cylindrical wheel axle journals 25 are molded into the side walls 7and 8 of the upper housing 1. The journals 25 essentially mate withsimilar units 26 molded in the lower housing 2.

Inwardly extending wall member 27 is molded into the rear portion of theupper housing 1 and when the sweeper housings are assembled, the wallmember 27 engages a lower housing floor 28 to form a dust collectingbin. A dust bin lid 29 is attached to the exterior of the upper housing1 in the vicinity of the wall member 27 by means of tabs 30 which areforced fitted into slots 31 in the upper housing 1 and are molded to thelid 29 by means of an integral living hinge 32. The lid 29 is therebypivotally mounted on the upper housing 1 and may be secured in theclosed position by means of a mating latch 33 formed on the rear wall 9of the upper housing 1. Mating latch 33 engages ridge 34 which isintergrally molded on lid 29.

The lower housing 2 is integrally molded to form dust bin floor 28,which is defined by support ridges 35 which register with the wallmember 27 of the upper housing 1. Extending upward from the forward partof the lower housing 2 is a main support rib 21 which registers with themain support rib 20 of the upper housing 1. The support rib 21 is formedin a partial cylinder as best seen in FIG. 5 thereby creating adeflecting wall for a brush 36. An elongated opening 37 is formed in thebottom of the lower housing 2 along the inner face of support rib 21 toaccommodate the brush 36. There may be formed at the rear of the opening37 a toothed ridge 38 which engages the brush 36 to remove surface linttherefrom. Wheel openings 39 are formed in the bottom of the lowerhousing 2 and are bordered by baffies. The baffles are formed in twoparts: a lower portion 40 which is integrally molded into the lowerhousing 2 and formed having partial journal openings 41 and 42 for wheelaxles 46 and the axial ends of brush 36, respectively; and an upperportion 43 which is formed separately having mating partialjournal'openings 44 and 48 which serve to secure the wheel axles 46 andbrush 36 in their proper position when the upper housing 1 is secured tothe lower housing 2. The side walls of the lower housing 2 areconstructed with semicylindrical journal openings 44 which mate thejournal openings 25 of the upper housing 1.

The brush drive system 3 consists of the wire wound brush element 36having gears 45 mounted axially on the ends thereof. Wheels 23 and 24are provided integrally molded axles 46 which have inward and outwardextending segments relative to the housing and drive gears, such astoothed 47, hubs 47 axially mounted on the inward extending segmentsthereof said hubs 47 engaging brush gears 45 in a driving relation.

Assembly of the carpet sweeper is accomplished by placing the wheelassemblies 23 and 24 in their respective openings 39 so that the axles46 engage the journal openings 41 and 26 of the lower housing. The brush36 is then inserted into its opening 37 so that the gears 45 engage thetoothed hubs 47 of the wheel assemblies 23 and 24. The upper baffles 43are then inserted completing the inner journal openings for the wheeland brush assemblies. The dust bin lid 29 is then mounted to upperhousing. Handle socket 4 is then mounted on the upper housing 1 and thishousing is then placed over the lower housing 2 so that the connectingpins l0l2, l6 and 17 engage the mating sockets 1345, 18 and 19respectively.

We claim:

1. A carpet sweeper having a plastic housing with a dust collecting binformed therein comprising:

an integrally molded upper housing portion having means to provideaccess to said dust collecting bin and an integrally molded lowerhousing portion secured to said upper housing portion and having a brushdrive system and means for the rotatable mounting of said brush drivesystem; wherein said brush drive system comprises:

A. a pair of wheels mounted on axles, said axles having inward andoutward extending segments relative to said housing and integrallymolded drive gears mounted on said inward segments, B. a brush, and

C. a pair of gears mounted on the axial ends of said brush, said gearsbeing. in engaging relation to said drive gears to receive rotatingmotion directly from said drive gears;

and said rotatable mounting means comprises:

A. integrally molded mating journal parts constructed in the upper andlower housing portions to accommodate the outward extending segments ofthe wheel axles,

B. a pair of integrally molded lower baffles constructed in the lowerhousing portion and spaced inward from the sides thereof, said baffleshaving partial journal openings molded therein to accommodate the axialends of said brush and the inward extending segments of the wheel axles,and

C, a pair of separate upper baffles having partial housing portions whenthey are in their assembled condition.

2. A carpet sweeper as described in claim 1 wherein the upper housingportion is provided with a plastic handle socket which is pivotallymounted to said housing portion by means of a pivot pin.

3. A carpet sweeper as described in claim 1 wherein the access meanscomprises a molded plastic lid pivotally mounted on the upper housingportion by means of a hinge.

4. A carpet sweeper as described in claim 1 wherein the dust bincomprises inwardly extending wall members integrally molded in both theupper and lower housing portions which mate to form an enclosure forcollecting dust picked up by the brush when the plastic housing isassembled.

5. A carpet sweeper as described in claim 1 wherein the upper and lowerhousing portions are provided with integrally molded mating memberswhich engage in a force fit to secure said housing in the assembledposition.

1. A carpet sweeper having a plastic housing with a dust collecting binformed therein comprising: , an integrally molded upper housing portionhaving means to provide access to said dust collecting bin and anintegrally molded lower housing portion secured to said upper housingportion and having a brush drive system and means for the rotatablemounting of said brush drive system; wherein said brush drive systemcomprises: , A. a pair of wheels mounted on axles, said axles havinginward and outward extending segments relative to said housing andintegrally molded drive gears mounted on said inward segments, B. abrush, and C. a pair of gears mounted on the axial ends of said brush,said gears being in engaging relation to said drive gears to receiverotating motion directly from said drive gears; and said rotatablemouNting means comprises: A. integrally molded mating journal partsconstructed in the upper and lower housing portions to accommodate theoutward extending segments of the wheel axles, B. a pair of integrallymolded lower baffles constructed in the lower housing portion and spacedinward from the sides thereof, said baffles having partial journalopenings molded therein to accommodate the axial ends of said brush andthe inward extending segments of the wheel axles, and C. a pair ofseparate upper baffles having partial journal openings which mate withthe partial journal openings of said lower baffles to enclose the axialends of said brush and inward extending segments of said wheel axles intheir assembled rotatable condition, said upper baffles being secured byengagement with the upper and lower housing portions when they are intheir assembled condition.
 2. A carpet sweeper as described in claim 1wherein the upper housing portion is provided with a plastic handlesocket which is pivotally mounted to said housing portion by means of apivot pin.
 3. A carpet sweeper as described in claim 1 wherein theaccess means comprises a molded plastic lid pivotally mounted on theupper housing portion by means of a hinge.
 4. A carpet sweeper asdescribed in claim 1 wherein the dust bin comprises inwardly extendingwall members integrally molded in both the upper and lower housingportions which mate to form an enclosure for collecting dust picked upby the brush when the plastic housing is assembled.
 5. A carpet sweeperas described in claim 1 wherein the upper and lower housing portions areprovided with integrally molded mating members which engage in a forcefit to secure said housing in the assembled position.